Adult Development

Introduction In recent years an increasing number of adult students are on college campuses seeking undergraduate degrees, filling some of the seats formerly occupied by the traditional, 18-22-year-old students (Apps, 1981; Cross, 1981; Leckie, 1988). Cross (1981) notes that part-time students make up the greater part of this increase. Indeed the number of full-time adult students is still quite small, particularly at four-year colleges and universities. While universities are noticing the presence of mature adults in their full-time study sequences, the number of adults interested and available for full-time study is still small (Rauch, 1991, p. 11). It is this small number of full-time adult undergraduates that interests me, because
The growing body of literature dealing with adult developmental stages or phases and adult transitions also will serve as background for the study. This literature area's theories are generally inadequate as a base from which to view adult full-time learners. As an unexpected, untypical adult experience, full-time study usually cannot be placed on chronological continua or fit into other categories of adult development (Havighurst, 1979; McCoy, 1996, Levenson,
They also may be willing to explore new ways to recruit, teach, and support faculty who work with the full-time adult learner.
Nature and Limitations of the Study (optional) The proposed study follows a qualitative research approach, involving the use of the semi-structured interview as the primary method. It involves a preliminary descriptive examination of the perceptions and experiences of adult full-time undergraduates. It will be limited to no more than 30 subjects at one four-year college because of the time constraints involved in interviewing and subsequent data analysis.
Literature Review (optional, deleted)